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Ruohomaki remembered for years of service to Gladstone

GLADSTONE — Delta County recently experienced the loss of a highly-respected community member and public servant when Gladstone resident Leslie “Les” Ruohomaki, 83, died on Dec. 7 following a lengthy illness.

Ruohomaki’s funeral took place earlier this week, offering friends and family a chance to console one another and recall memories of the man who made a difference in their lives and the lives of many more.

Included in comments offered on the Skradski Funeral Homes website, individuals remembered what kind of person Ruohomaki was and how he touched their lives.

One couple wrote, “Les worked hard for the community and definitely made a positive difference.”

Others described him as a “great man,” “a wonderful caring person,” “always kind and cordial,” and “always smiling.”

In addition to being a husband to the former Ada Boyle, Ruohomaki helped raise the couple’s four children — Ron, Gary, Julie and Maria — while also pursuing a professional career and serving on a variety of civic organizations.

Ruohomaki earned a bachelors degree in social services from Northern Michigan University and later obtained a masters degree in counseling and guidance and a masters degree in public administration.

Early in his career, he was employed as a probation officer for the Marquette County Juvenile Court and a radio announcer for WJPD. He was a counselor and professor at Northern Michigan University from 1968 to 1973.

In 1973, the family moved from Marquette to Gladstone.

Ruohomaki worked for the Department of Human Services Regional Office for the Upper Peninsula serving as a children services specialist, an adult placement specialist, and an adult services specialist. He later worked in the department’s zone office as an administrative assistant, retiring in 1997.

While working and raising a family with Ada, Ruohomaki also served in the Michigan National Guard for 10 years, reaching the rank of staff sergeant.

Many know Ruohomaki from when he served the community of Gladstone by being a city commissioner for 15 years, including seven years as mayor.

During this time frame, Howard Keeton, of Gladstone, served as Gladstone city manager and worked with Commissioner Ruohomaki.

“He knew how to handle his job as a commissioner and mayor,” recalled Keeton, a long-time city manager in Gladstone.

“He was easy to work with. I enjoyed working with him,” added Keeton. “He was one of those that you could explain something to him and he could expand on it and look for some sort of result.”

Keeton said Ruohomaki focused a lot on the city budget, always trying to incorporate projects the city needed to get done without raising taxes.

Gladstone resident Jim McKnight served as a city commissioner alongside Ruohomaki.

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